Starleaf's Story
by Cloudy Dreamcatcher
Summary: Starkit had a secret. A secret so deep, and so dark, that no one in the world could every pry it from the depths of her long-forgotten heart. Starkit was stolen from life at birth and forced to serve the treacherous Mouseclaw. She's forced to do evil to escape, and only then can she truly be free. She watches every moon as dozens of kits are robbed of their souls. Will she escape?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everybody! I might not be able to update in a few days! I'm on vacation! Thanks, and enjoy!**

Starkit had a secret. A secret so deep, and so dark, that no one in the world could every pry it from the depths of her long-forgotten heart. She knew the fate of the cats in front of her. She had watched it play out time and time again.

Crack! A branch splintered under her paw, the shrapnel digging into her candy-pink pads. Starkit bit back a cry of pain and continued. I know what you're thinking. StarClan cats aren't supposed to feel pain. I mean, they're dead. But Starkit was a different story. She felt every tiny pinch and prod. Sometimes it was just too much to bear.

The blind apprentice walking near her cocked her head and swiveled her ears in Starkit's direction. Starkit held her breath. The she-cat cautiously moved on, her captors trailing close behind.

Starkit was different then the other cats near her. She had her secret. The few precious words she would never lend to any cat. But now was not the time to focus on her pain. These cats needed supervising.

That was her job. Making sure the select few that Mouseclaw wanted did not get away. It was her- let's just say- eternal bond. An everlasting connection she didn't wish to keep. But, if she wanted to be free- she'd have to deal with it.

The three healthy Clan cats supported the fourth, who was unconscious. The life seemed to be draining out of her as Starkit watched. The snowy white kit was the first victim of Mouseclaw's bloodthirsty beginning. As soon as all three kits had been robbed of their souls, he could return to the Clans below, threatening to wipe out all cats who stood against his murderous ways.

The truth was, Starkit had come to StarClan so young, that Starkit wasn't even her official title. Mouseclaw had snatched her up and deemed her 'Starkit', after the brilliant star that was Brightstar.

But Starkit's secret, her true reason for living in this cat-filled heaven, has been pressing on the back of your mind up to now. You can't be in the dark forever, wondering what in StarClan this kit must be thinking. So here is Starkit's story.


	2. Chapter 2

A thin shriek erupted from the camp nursery. The sun's evening light tinted the horizon blood-red. Deerpelt poked his head inside the gorse bush. "Not yet!" Smallberry, the medicine cat, sighed wearily. Deerpelt returned to pacing on the dusty ground, listening to his mate's feeble wails.

He pricked his ears. A patrol was crashing through the bracken and into camp. Fox dung! He thought. A muscular dirt-brown tom padded into the clearing. "Mouseclaw," Deerpelt hissed under his breath.

Another of Brightstar's cries resounded around the sleepy camp. Mouseclaw stopped in his tracks. He locked his amber eyes with Deerpelt's blue ones. Mouseclaw padded over to him. "So she's kitting," he said bleakly. "Is she alright?"

"I- I don't know," admitted Deerpelt.

"Deerpelt! Come quickly!" Smallberry yowled. She noticed Mouseclaw. "You'd better come too."

The two toms, exchanged glances, equally worried about Brightstar. They carefully slipped into the nursery. "Brightstar?" Mouseclaw whispered gently. Through the gloom of the den Deerpelt could make out a still figure, her pale ginger body curled protectively around a tiny white kit.

"Brightstar…" Deerpelt said hoarsely, his body beginning to shake. "No! Brightstar!"

Mousclaw whirled to face him. "This is your fault!" He shouted. "If you hadn't been mates with her… this- this wouldn't have happened!"

"That's not true!" Deerpelt said defensively. "It wouldn't have made a difference."

"She's DEAD!" Mouseclaw raged, digging his sharp claws into the dirt. The tiny white kit had begun to meow pitifully. "Nothing matters anymore! We can't get her back! This is all your fault!"

Deerpelt began backing out of the den. Mouseclaw's amber eyes glinted maliciously. " _I_ loved her. But she chose _you_!"

They were outside of the den by now, and half the Clan was watching silently. "You deserve everything that's coming to you," Mouseclaw whispered, so that only Deerpelt could hear.

Mouseclaw sprang.


	3. Chapter 3

Smallberry watched in horror as Deerpelt's graceful light brown body crumpled, dark blood tangling his fur and flowing onto the ground, where it mixed with the dust in red and tan swirls. She let her words carry to Mouseclaw. "What have you done?"

The Clan leader had died kitting. Her mate, the deputy, had been killed. The cat stood in a horrified circle around the traitorous warrior. One she-cat took a step forward. All eyes watched the white and brown tabby as she slowly strode towards the tom.

Mouseclaw glared at her. "Breezeheart," he hissed. "You dare challenge me? I have been the strongest since we were kits!"

Smallberry remembered kitting Breezeheart and Mouseclaw. Mouseclaw always had a tendency to injure the other kits.

Breezeheart eyed her littermate warily, now standing a fox length in front of him. "Mouseclaw, they're going to kill you," Smallberry heard her whisper.

"How can they?" the tom laughed, a note of desperation in his voice. "I'm stronger than every cat in this Clan!" The two cats were now standing nose to nose. Smallberry held her breath. As she watched, Mouseclaw's eyes glazed over, and he crumpled to the ground. Breezeheart sheathed her bloodstained claws, nodding briefly to Smallberry.

"We need to-" she was about to conduct a funeral for the fallen when her voice was cut off by Lionfeather's shrill cry.

"Brightstar's kit!" she wailed. "She's gone!"


End file.
